Iowa State (19-26, 1-6 Big 12) will welcome No. 9 Oklahoma (38-7, 9-1 Big 12) to Ames this weekend for a three-game set, and grabbing a couple of wins won’t be easy.

The Sooners are one of the hottest softball teams in the country, winning their last 13 games with a 9-1 record in the conference. 

Normally, playing Oklahoma on its own is a tough test for Iowa State, but things could get dicey this weekend based on the team’s recent performances. 

The Cyclones’ two best pitchers are coming off some of their worst performances of the season. Both Savannah Sanders and Emma Hylen struggled in a Tuesday game against Drake. 

Sanders was the starter, lasting only the first inning and allowing three runs on four hits while throwing an uncharacteristically high 40 pitches. She was replaced by Hylen, who did not fare much better. 

Helen only recorded one out and allowed four runs on two hits and three walks. It was Hylen’s worst performance as a Cyclone. 

The Cyclones were facing off with a strong offensive team in the Bulldogs, who scored 12 runs Tuesday. However, both Sanders and Hylen seemed off, never good when you are going into a three game matchup with Oklahoma. 

“They definitely had some good sticks,” said freshman Kristine Kimberley, who picked up the win Tuesday. “But so does OU, so we have to be ready.” 

Kimberley is right. The Sooners are the best offense in the Big 12 right now, with a .356 batting average and 309 runs scored. Oklahoma can hit the long ball as well, as it ranks second in the Big 12 with 49 home runs. 

The entire ISU pitching staff will need to be ready to use their best stuff this weekend against Oklahoma. 

“We’re definitely going to have to play like we did [Tuesday] with our bats going,” Kimberley said. “We’re going to use every pitcher out there, there’s six of us, so hopefully we can find a way to work all six of us in there and fool them.” 

For some of the veteran players on the team, like Brittany Gomez, it is business as usual. 

“I don’t think we’re thinking about it too much,” Gomez said. “They put their uniform on the same way we do.” 

But no matter how you slice it, the Cyclones are going to need their top two pitchers playing at their very best. Hylen and Sanders will both need rebound performances if Iowa State wants to have any chance of avoiding being blown out by yet another Big 12 team. 

With a dismal 1-6 record in the conference, Iowa State looks destined for a last place finish. But a couple of wins against Oklahoma could potentially mix things up in the conference and would be a huge confidence boost for a team starting to come into its own. 

As Kimberley points out, that is far easier said than done. 

“Oklahoma is going to be a tough team to beat,” Kimberley said. “Obviously, they are one of the top teams in the conference and we are one of the bottom teams in conference.”